REMINISCENCES 



Spanish A merican War 

In Cuba and the Philippines 



By CHARLES F. GAUVREAU 



REMINISCENCES 



OF THE 



Spanish- American War 

In Cuba 
and the Philippines 

By CHARLES F. GAUVREAU 
Ex-private Co. G, 2 1st Inft. 



MESSENGER OFFICE, PRINTERS 
ST. ALBANS, VT. 
1912 






Copyright 1912 



All Rights Reserved 

rr 



£ 

c< 



S; 



PREFACE 



Although some time has passed since the Span- 
ish-American War in Cuba and the Philippines 
and many books have been written on the subject, 
not many have been written by persons having 
had actual service in the field. It has not been my 
purpose to give a complete history of the War 
with Spain in detail, but, thinking it might be of 
interest to my friends and acquaintances, I con- 
cluded to give my personal experiences while in 
the service with the 21st U. S. Infantry or the 
"President's Own" as it was called at that time. 
The 2 1st Infantry was considered one of the best 
drilled regiments in the army and had the respect 
of all the citizens of Plattsburg, at which place 
it was stationed at the time war was declared. 
In 1897 the regiment was presented with a beau- 
ful silk flag by Mrs. McKinley, wife of the late 



6 PREFACE 

President McKInley, when they were staying at 
Hotel Champlain, where the President reviewed 
the regiment. I was present when many of the 
photographs were taken, and I hope they will help 
to make the book more Interesting. 

Charles F. Gauvreau. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Opposite Page. 

The Author Frontispiece. 

Presenting the colors to the 21st Infantry by Secre- 
tary of War Alger, August 18th, 1897. 

21st Infantry leaving Plattsburg for Cuba - - - 14 

Group of Company G in camp at Tampa, Florida - 16 

21st Infantry Band in camp at Tampa, Florida - - 18 
Company G of the 21st Infantry at Plattsburg taken 

a short time before the war 22 

Commissioned Officers of the 21st Infantry - - - 20 

On the firing line 24 

Digging the trenches on San Juan Hill, Cuba - - 28 

Taken while in action at San Juan Hill, Cuba - - 30 

Fording San Juan River, July 1st, 1898 - - - 26 

Firing a volley over the dead, 1898 - - - - 32 

Cooking in the field, 1898 43 

Arrival of the 21st Infantry at Plattsburg from Cuba, 

September 15th, 1898 46 

The unveiling of the memorial at the Plattsburg 

Barracks, February 22nd, 1899 - - - - 48 

Parade Grounds at Plattsburg Barracks - - - 50 

Guard House and Barracks at Plattsburg - - - 52 
General Roll Call before boarding the train for the 

Philippines at Plattsburg Barracks - - - 60 

Boarding the train for the Philippines - - - 62 
The Transport Hancock on which the 21st Infantry 

sailed for the Philippines 68 

Battery on Correggidor which were silenced by 

Dewey's fleet 72 



8 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Disembarking of troops at Manila Bay - - - 74 

Entrance of Pasig River, P. I. 76 

The El Deposoto, P. I. 78 

San Juan Bridge from which the first shot was fired 

February 4th, 1S99 80 

Admiral Dewey alighting from his carriage at Manila 82 

Cultivating rice in the Philippines - - - - 84 

A Bamboo cannon made by the Filipinos - - - 86 
Digging a, grave for an insurgent by the American 

soldiers 88 

The river at Calamba which we crossed - - - 90 

Company "A" of the 21st Infantry at Los Bannos - 92 

General Aguinaldo 94 

Bang Bang Bridge destroyed by the Filipinos - - 96 

The Gun Boat, I^aguna De Bay 98 

Hotchkiss and Catling Guns 100 

After the battle 102 

Filipinos killed in the trenches 104 

General Hospital at Manila 106 

General Lawton's Funeral at Manila - . - - 108 

Group of Company G at Calamba, P. I. - - - 110 

The Lunetta (or Park) at Manila - - - . 112 

Bridge of Spain over the Pasig River - - - - 114 

General Otis and Staff at Manila - - - - 116 

Jinrikisha in Nagasaki 118 

21st Infantry Soldiers at Nagasaki after being dis- 
charged - - - 120 

Angel Island, San Francisco, California - - - 122 

Filipino houses built of bamboo 124 

Battlefield at Calamba 126 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I 

MY ENLISTMENT — OFF FOE CUBA 13 

CHAPTER II 

THE LANDING ---------21 

CHAPTER III 

AT SAN JUAN HILL .-- 25 

CHAPTER IV 

THE president's MESSAGE — SUBBENDEE OF GEN'L. TORAL 33 

CHAPTER V 

EETUEN TO THE UNITED STATES ----- 41 

CHAPTER VI 

BECEa>TION AT PLATTSBUR6 ------ 49 

CHAPTER VII 

OBDEEED TO THE PHILIPPINES ------ 57 

CHAPTER VIII 

AEBIVAL AT MANILA 67 



lo CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IX 

AT KL DEPOSOTO 77 

CHAPTER X 

BATTLE OF CALAMBA -----..37 

CHAPTER XI 

DEFEAT OF THE INSUBGENTS ---.'.. 97 

CHAPTER XII 

FUNERAL OF GENERAL LAWTON 105 

CHAPTER XIII 

MANILA — JAPAN HI 

CHAPTER XIV 

SAN FRANCISCO ^HOMEWARD BOUND - . . . 121 



CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF BATTLES AND ACTIONS - - 127 

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS I35 

UNITED POETRY -----... 137 



REMINISCENCES 

OF THE 

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 



REMINISCENCES 

OF THE 

Spanish- American War. 



MY ENLISTMENT OFF FOR CUBA 

As most of US know, the Second-class Battle 
ship "Maine" was blown up in the harbor of 
Havana, Cuba, on the night of February 15th, 
1898, in which two officers and 264 sailors of the 
crew were cast into eternity without a moment's 
warning. This was the primary cause of the war 
with Spain; and on the 21st day of April of the 
same year, war was declared. I was living in the 
village of Rouses Point, N. Y., at the time, and 
it is still my home. 

While reading the newspaper one day, I hap- 
pened to see an article where President McKinley 
called for 125,000 volunteers to go to the front, 
and a few days later I decided to enlist, but before 

13 



14 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

doing so I had to have my father's consent, 
as I was not of age, being only nineteen years 
old. 

My decision did not meet with his approval, 
and he informed me emphatically not to mention 
that subject again; however, this did not discour- 
age me, and on the following morning I took the 
train for Plattsburg Post, where there was a 
recruiting station, and I was given the proper 
blanks to be signed for enlistment; with these 
papers I returned home. When my father real- 
ized that I was in earnest about going to the 
front, he decided to let me go and gave his con- 
sent, but not without causing himself and the rest 
of the family a great deal of mental pain and dis- 
appointment. 

Now that all papers were signed and the nec- 
essary requirements completed, I returned to 
Plattsburg and enlisted on the 13th day of May, 
1898; it is said this is an unlucky day, but this you 
will ascertain in the succeeding chapters. It was a 
lucky day for me in my estimation. 

There were at the time forty-eight recruits 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 15 

at the barracks ready to start to join the 
Twenty-first, who were then stationed at Tampa, 
and after we had received our uniforms and 
rifles, and had a few days' drilling, we were sent 
to Fort McPherson, Ga., to be drilled with the 
recruits that had already been sent there from 
different recruiting stations. 

On the night of the 26th of May, 1898, four 
recruits, including myself, boarded the train en 
route to Fort McPherson, Ga., and the next 
morning we were in New York City. There we 
took the ferry over to Jersey City, where we 
remained for only a short time, and then took 
the train for Washington, over the Pennsylvania 
Railroad, and on arriving there we had to wait 
five hours; this gave us a little time to see the 
city and we visited the Capitol, the White House 
and Washington Monument. After we had taken 
in all these points of interest in the city it was 
train time and we proceeded to the station and 
took the train for Fort McPherson, arriving 
there, after a pleasant run, in the afternoon of the 
following day. 



i6 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

Temporary shacks had been made for our 
sleeping quarters, but the drinking water was 
very warm, as the water-pipes had been laid over 
the ground temporarily, to different places about 
the camp. Here we made our first acquaint- 
ance with military life and learned the meaning 
of 'discipline. This of course was very hard for 
us at first, as we had to drill five hours a day in 
the hot sun; but nevertheless I was not dis- 
heartened. 

After we had been there two weeks, we were 
sent to Tampa to join the Twenty-first, where 
we had all the drilling we needed, which was 
much harder than at Fort McPherson. We were 
assigned to different companies, I being in Com- 
pany G, and here I may add that the older 
soldiers were all good to the new members, which 
we appreciated. 

Tents had been set up all around this camp, 
because most of the troops that were to leave for 
Cuba were stationed at this place. We did not 
feel the effect of the sun as much as at Fort 
McPherson, as our camp was located In a palm 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 17 

grove, which gave us plenty of shade. Many of 
the men were taken sick and died before we left. 
The Twenty-first Infantry Band, which was 
famous in the army, gave concerts at the camp 
every night we stayed there and also gave con- 
certs at the Tampa Bay Hotel, which at that time 
was crowded with visitors. 

Then came the general order to break camp, 
and we took the train for Tampa Bay, where all 
the regular United States Transports lay, some 
of them ready with troops to leave for Cuba, 
under command of General Shafter of the Fifth 
Army Corps. 

The sight of the bay full of ships of war and 
all the bustle attending an embarkment was 
magnificent and inspiriting, and, of course, new to 
me. As near as I can recollect, there were about 
fifty-four transports, also five warships to escort 
us to Cuba, and after we had all been taken 
aboard the transports and were about to sail that 
same night, one of the transports, on which were 
the 13th U. S. Infantry, was struck by lightning, 
breaking part of the mast, which caused a delay 



i8 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

until the next morning. The next day I could see 
thousands of people watching us depart, the bands 
of all the regiments were playing national airs, 
fathers, sons and brothers departing for a war- 
fare that created a sensation throughout the civil- 
ized world. 

June 14th we sailed out of Tampa Bay with 
an army of sixteen thousand men. The weather 
was very pleasant and the fleet of warships and 
gunboats that escorted the transports consisted 
of the first-class battleship "Indiana," and cruisers 
"Helena," "Castine," New Orleans," and dis- 
patch boat "Hornet" and several torpedo boats. 
We were constantly on the alert, as we did not 
know at what moment we might be attacked by the 
Spanish fleet, although we had heard that Cer- 
vera's fleet was bottled up in Santiago harbor, but 
we did not know but there might have been other 
ships around watching for us. 

During our voyage, we noticed a large water- 
spout in our course, but a shot from the "Indiana" 
soon broke it and tons of water fell back into the 
sea making a grand sight. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 19 

Much talk had been going on among the sol- 
diers as to where we were going to land, for 
every day the dispatch boat "Hornet" would come 
alongside giving different orders, coming from the 
flagship "Indiana," many of which we did not 
understand; and not knowing where we were go- 
ing to land when we left Tampa, made us all 
curious as to our destination. The thought of 
landing upon a foreign country to take possession 
of the same was an experience that most of us 
had never dreamed of and, I venture to say, will 
never forget. 



11. 



THE LANDING. 



At the end of eight days, we found a place 
where we thought it safe to land, by the name of 
Baiquiri, on the southern coast of Cuba, twenty 
miles from Santiago. On the 22nd day of June, 
1898. But before we landed, the town was bom- 
barded to make sure that there would be nothing 
to interfere with our operations. Battleships and 
cruisers formed a circle and sent shells into the 
town and around it. While this was being done 
the boats were constantly on the move, each taking 
their turn to bombard the town. 

It certainly was a sight, as we were about one 
mile out from the shore, to witness the bom- 
bardment, which lasted an hour, when we com- 
menced to disembark. The horses and mules were 
thrown overboard and swam ashore, while the 
soldiers were taken in row-boats; then the fussy 
little steam launches sped from ship to ship with 

21 



22 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

their string of rocking row-boats into which the 
soldiers tumbled, dropped or sprawled, devoid of 
the necessary "sea legs" which the landsman needs 
to acquire if he is to cut anything but a ridiculous 
figure on shipboard, and especially in the act of 
boarding a tossing row-boat from the deck of a 
rocking, unsteady transport. Very few of the 
soldiers ferried across to Cuba, had acquired 
these necessary "sea legs," as very few of us had 
ever had sea experience; some had never even seen 
the ocean before and were ignorant of its moods, 
its storms and calms. 

The first boats were filled now, and the race for 
the shore begins. It is not an easy shore for a 
landing. Upon the sandy stretch of beach, the 
surf tumbles, breaks and rolls in a fashion not 
altogether suited to the evolutions of a big keel 
row-boat. The row-boats were towed alongside 
the docks and there we had to wait for the waves 
to raise us to the level of the pier, and then jump 
out as soon as we could. When we had all landed, 
I noticed two large locomotives which belonged 
to the Spanish-American Iron Ore Co., that had 




d 
a 

S 
o 
a 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 23 

been destroyed during the bombardment, and 
much damage had been done by the shells 
from the battleships. Soon after landing some 
of our soldiers ascended a hill and planted 
an American flag upon a Spanish blockhouse, and 
cheers could be heard from all the soldiers. That 
same night some of the troops started on their 
way to Saboney, four miles distant from Baiquiri, 
but the 2 1 St Infantry, and other regiments, stayed 
at the latter place that night. We made coffee 
and had a good lunch, and slept in the open air. 

The next morning at daybreak, we started for 
Saboney. On this hike we passed many houses 
where sick and starving Cuban soldiers lay, with 
barely enough clothes to cover them. They were 
a pitiable sight and many of our soldiers gave 
them hardtack. Then we came to a large cocoa- 
nut grove where we rested for a while, and while 
there we were informed by some Cubans we had 
with us, who were acting as scouts, that the milk 
from the cocoanuts, when they were green, was 
very good to drink, and we drank with relish and 
quenched our thirst, after which we continued on 



24 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

our march. On arriving at Saboney, we noticed 
a large quantity of bacon and other provisions 
piled near the shore, which was at this time the 
principal place for landing supplies. We had 
only been there about an hour when we had our 
first experience of real warfare, when we noticed 
dead and wounded soldiers being carried down 
a small hill back to Saboney on stretchers. The 
First Cavalry Volunteers, Rough Riders, as 
they were called, under the command of Colonel 
Wood, had already engaged the enemy at Guasi- 
mas, which is about two miles out of Saboney, 
when the loth Colored Cavalry arrived just in 
time to save the Rough Riders, who had already 
lost about forty-two men. This happened on the 
24th of June. 



III. 

AT SAN JUAN HILL. 

A Temporary hospital had been erected at 
Saboney, and was soon filled with the wounded 
and sick soldiers from the different regiments. I 
saw the bodies of Captain Capron and Sergeant 
Hamilton Fish of the Rough Riders, being placed 
in coffins which were to be transported to the 
United States for burial. Colonel McKIbbIn 
of the 2 1 St Infantry, who later on while In the 
trenches, was promoted to the rank of Brigadier- 
General of Volunteers, and also made temporary 
Military Governor of Santiago after the war, then 
received orders to move on further, as we were 
supposed to be in the reserve of General Chaffee's 
Brigade which consisted of the 7th, 12th and 17th 
regiments of Infantry. On our way we passed 
the graves of several of the Rough Riders, who 
had been killed at Guaslmas. 

25 



26 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

In the meantime, some of the regiments had 
advanced further on. At last we came to what 
was called a pesthouse, which was used by the 
city of Santiago for contagious diseases, and we 
had to camp in that vicinity all night, doing guard 
duty, as the soldiers were forbidden to enter the 
place for fear of spreading disease. We had al- 
ready seen the pack mules laden with ammunition 
going to the front and the advance column of 
General Chaffee; also General Lawton's men, who 
afterwards cleared out El Caney, which was to 
the right of San Juan Hill. 

The 1st of July we again started on the march 
and were not a long distance on our way when 
we began to hear the roar of battle and the whiz- 
zing of the Mauser bullets of the enemy over our 
heads; in fact they were coming almost too low 
for comfort, as the main body had already been 
engaged. About this time our officers gave the 
command to lay low, and to leave our knapsacks 
and haversacks there. One of the officer's horses 
was shot in the head only a short distance from 
where I lay, and we began to realize that our 




^ .^>.* 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 27 

position was dangerous. In a few moments the 
command was given to advance, which we did, 
amid the roar of battle and the humming of 
bullets — an experience that I will never forget. 
Upon coming to the San Juan River, we had to 
hold our guns above our heads, and in this man- 
ner, cross the river in full view of the Spaniards, 
the hill being in front of us; and in doing so, 
we lost many of our men from drowning, 
and others were shot and wounded, but in 
the excitement it all passed unnoticed, and 
we soon reached the foot of San Juan Hill, which 
became famous as the scene of the most important 
battle of the campaign. We proceeded to climb 
the hill which was a network of barbwire, bushes 
and shrubbery, and many times became so en- 
tangled that it seemed almost impossible to ascend. 
Then the blockhouse in front of us, which was 
the stronghold of the Spanish forces, added to 
our troubles in forcing our way through their 
lines; but the 6th and i6th Infantry and loth 
Colored Cavalry of General Hawkins' Brigade, 
which were ahead of us, made a fairly good road 



28 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

toward the blockhouse, they being the first to plant 
the American flag on the hill, with the loss of 
many lives. We then took our position on the 
top of the hill, keeping up a heavy fire on the 
enemy all the time. It has been claimed by mili- 
tary men that the Mauser rifles were superior 
to our Krag Jorgensen, as they were of smaller 
caliber, and they also used smokeless powder, 
which was greatly to their advantage. 

Toward night most of the army had reached 
the hill, also General Garcia's army of Cubans, 
which took their position on the extreme left of 
the line. Our food supplies were still in the 
rear. That night we started to dig the trenches 
with our bayonets, which was slow work; but what 
added most to our troubles was, we had no water 
to drink, nor food to eat, and, my dear readers, 
I can assure you that it was very trying under 
the circumstances, but I never lost my courage. 
The picks and shovels had not arrived. The 
Spaniards again opened fire. Only a few feet 
from where I stood, one of our soldiers was shot 
in the side, exploding about twenty of the car- 




u 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 29 

tridges he had in his belt, making a large hole in 
his body, and the suffering this poor fellow en- 
dured was heart-rending. His suffering lasted 
about an hour, when he died game, without a 
murmur, fighting for his country. That same 
night we were given picks and shovels, which had 
now arrived, to dig our trenches. As I have 
already mentioned we had started to dig with our 
bayonets, as this was the only thing we had to 
dig with, and all along the line, the trenches 
were started with the bayonets, which came in 
very handy. 

We had been without food and water for 
twenty-eight hours, and it was no easy matter 
to obtain water, as we were still under fire of 
the Spanish forces. The only water to be had 
was from a small brook about a mile back of the 
trenches, and was anything but good drinking 
water, as it was lukewarm. 

Lieutenant Spurgin then picked out six men 
from my company to go for water, of whom I 
was one, and each of us had to take several of 
the canteens to supply each of the men. This 



30 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

order came to us about one o'clock in the 
morning. 

We proceeded to the brook, and as there were 
only two of us among the six who remembered 
where it was located, we had some difficulty 
in finding it; after a while we succeeded and after 
filling our canteens, we started back to the tren- 
ches, but not without considerable difficulty, as the 
bullets were flying about us thick and fast. We 
finally reached our company in safety, where, it 
is needless to say, our efforts were appreciated by 
the boys, who were so greatly in need of the 
water. 

While we were absent the food supplies ar- 
rived, and, such as they were, seemed good 
to us. Each man was allowed a piece of bacon 
and three hardtacks and a can of tomatoes to be 
divided in three parts; this was our food for 
work, and I can assure you it tasted good to us. 
Later on we had the famous canned roast beef, 
which caused so much sickness. 

By this time the firing had ceased. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 3 1 

On the second day of July, the firing again 
started and lasted all of that day, while the 
trenches we had dug were filled with water and 
mud, as it had rained very hard, and we were 
drenched through to the skin. 

The trenches extended in line for about ten 
miles and the dirt we had dug out was thrown 
in front of us to make a breastwork. The land 
being mostly clay, made it very hard to dig, and 
officers and men all had to endure the same 
suffering. 

We lay there for seventeen days. The next 
morning early, on the third of July, we heard 
some terrible cannonading, but did not exactly 
know what it was; some of the boys thought it 
was Sampson's fleet trying to bombard the city 
of Santiago, for we had received the news that 
Admirals Sampson and Schley with the fleet were 
to bombard the city. It was at this time that 
the dynamite boat "Vesuvius" failed to do any 
damage to the city; but we did not know this 
at the time; thus putting us more on the lookout, 
as the Spaniards might have been forced to come 



32 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

out and make a stand against us, but we were 
already prepared for them. 

The ground shook as if by an earthquake, 
from the cannonading, as I have already stated, 
which lasted about two hours, and the next morn- 
ing at about eleven o'clock the startling news 
came to us that the Spanish fleet, under the com- 
mand of Admiral Cervera, had been destroyed. 

This report was read to all of the troops by 
the different oflUcers, and the cheers that went up 
could be heard all along the trenches. 



IV. 



THE PRESIDENT S MESSAGE SURRENDER OF 

GENERAL TORAL. 

On July 6th while the flag of truce was up, 
the Spanish and American Generals met under 
the Ceiba tree, where they had arranged for the 
release of Lieutenant Hobson and his men, by 
exchanging prisoners, after which the flag of 
truce went down. While this was being done, 
we took advantage of the time to boil some coffee 
and we had what we called a very good meal, 
consisting of corned-beef, canned tomatoes and 
hardtack. 

Both armies were now out of the trenches, 
facing each other, and we could easily see them 
as we were much higher up, being on San 
Juan Hill. A Red Cross flag was floating over a 
building which they tried to make us believe was 
a hospital, which was not, but was used as a 

33 



34 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

fortification. As soon as we learned that they 
were trying to deceive us, by using tactics that are 
not usually resorted to by civilized nations in 
time of war, we started firing upon it, and the 
flag went down, as our batteries soon found its 
range. The firing was fierce on both sides and 
lasted until the 14th. 

A very remarkable thing happened on the 
afternoon of the loth, when a cannon ball went 
through the trenches of Company G of the 21st 
Infantry and buried itself in the mud in the 
rear; fortunately for the members of this com- 
pany, it did not explode, for it would have anni- 
hilated most of us. The American papers had 
the news that most of Company G of the 21st had 
been killed and wounded. 

By this time many of the soldiers had been 
taken sick or were wounded. The fever had 
taken hold of the men with much greater effect 
than the bullets from the Spaniards. 

The artillery were placed one mile to the rear 
and fired their shrapnel over our trenches, whiz- 
zing over our heads. At the same time the 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 35 

Spanish artillery kept up a heavy fire, trying to 
silence our guns, which were doing great dam- 
age ; bullets and shells were coming fast, and you 
may be sure we kept our rifles busy. The 
gatling guns, which are claimed to fire one hun- 
dred and twenty shots a minute were of the great- 
est service. The losses on both sides were heavy. 
On the 14th of July, General Shafter and 
Toral, the Spanish General, met at the Ceiba tree, 
where they had met before to arrange for the 
release of Lieutenant Hobson and his men, to 
make arrangements for the surrender of the 
Spanish forces, and on the i6th day of July, 
the capitulation was signed. The joyful news 
spread quickly over and around the hills, through 
the rifle-pits and trenches, until the whole army 
had heard of the surrender. Then General 
Shafter and Staff entered the city and ran up the 
Stars and Stripes to the top of the flagpole on 
the Governor's Palace and the Band of the 6th 
Cavalry played the "Star Spangled Banner." 
Santiago had fallen and the Spanish army had 
surrendered, and the President telegraphed to 



36 RFMINISCENCES OF THE 

General Shafter In the field the following mes- 
sage which was read to all the army in the 
trenches on the 17th of July: 

"The President of the United States sends to 
you and your brave army, the profound thanks 
of the American people, for the brilliant achieve- 
ments at Santiago, resulting in the surrender of 
the city and all the Spanish troops and territory 
under General Toral. Your splendid command 
has endured not only the hardships and sacrifices 
incident to campaign and battle, but in the stress 
of heat and weather has triumphed over ob- 
stacles which would have overcome men less brave 
and determined. One and all have displayed 
the most conspicuous gallantry, and earned the 
gratitude of the nation. The hearts of the people 
turn with tender sympathy to the sick and 
wounded. May the Father of Mercies protect 
and comfort them." 

General Toral, with all of his men, about 
twenty-two thousand in number, with their arms 
and artillery, surrendered to the American 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 37 

forces, in honor of which the salute of twenty- 
one guns were fired, amid the cheers of the 
American soldiers. It was a thrilling sight. Of 
the 2ist Infantry there were nine killed and thirty- 
four wounded, but the number that died from 
sickness was very large. 

Now that the fighting was over, we experi- 
enced sickness which was something worse than 
being under fire. 

One day we were sent to the city of Santiago 
with the army wagon, which was an agreeable 
change from what we had experienced since we 
arrived at the island. Here we could get a good 
view of the city. 

The streets of the city are very narrow and 
quite a contrast to our American cities, and 
were practically deserted except for a few Ameri- 
cans and American soldiers. In the meantime, 
our army wagons were drawing provisions, of 
which there were a great abundance, for the 
troops. 

We were given fresh bread which had been 
made by our soldiers at Santiago, and which was 



38 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

taken to our camp in wagon-loads; one-half of a 
loaf a meal was given to each man. We were 
also given fresh meat. 

I have already mentioned that we left our 
haversacks behind us, as we crossed the San 
Juan River to where we charged San Juan 
Hill, and went back for them. I noticed hun- 
dreds of buzzards soaring in the air, which is a 
certain sign in Cuba that there is something dead 
in the vicinity. Just a little west of us, I noticed 
one of our dead soldiers lying in the mud, with 
a bullet wound near his heart, whose eyes had 
been picked out by the buzzards. Several Spanish 
soldiers lay scattered about, who had met the 
same fate which was horrible to behold. Many 
of our soldiers had been killed by Spanish sharp- 
shooters who were hid in trees, under cover of 
leaves, making it very hard to locate them. 

After we found our haversacks, we returned 
to camp, and we were glad to have them, as they 
contained many things that were of use to us. On 
arriving at the trenches, I wrote a letter to my 
parents on the back of a tomato can label, for 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 39 

that was the only thing I could get in the line of 
paper, and placed it in an old envelope turned 
inside out, and sewed it up with thread that I 
had in my haversack, writing them my experience 
in brief. And as I did not have any stamps all 
I did was to write on the corner of the envelope 
"Soldier's letter." 

Many of the Spanish soldiers who were taken 
prisoners of war would exchange cigarettes for 
hardtack, which was a great treat for our boys; 
also for them. 

It was a hard task for us to try to keep clean, 
as our uniforms were ruined but these were 
soon replaced by our Quartermaster. We were 
beginning to get anxious about returning home, 
so many reports were coming to us through 
the different regiments that they were leav- 
ing or about to leave, and we were waiting 
for our orders, for the happy news to leave this 
dreadful place where so many brave men had 
lost their lives, and so much sickness was then 
prevalent. 



RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES. 

Finally our orders came, and we started on 
our march to Santiago through very rough 
roads. 

When we reached the city, much interest was 
taken. Several of the men, as well as myself, 
had been there before so that it was not new 
to me. 

When we arrived at the docks, we found a ves- 
sel there awaiting us, which had been used to 
carry cattle from Havana to Santiago, so you 
can imagine what we had to contend with; but 
we were satisfied with almost anything in the 
shape of a vessel that would carry us back to 
the dear old United States, or to what the boys 
properly termed "God's Country." 

It was an interesting sight, passing through the 
harbor of Santiago, to see the famous "Merri- 
mac," which had been sunk to block the harbor 

41 



42 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

by Hobson and his brave crew. She was lying 
there with only masts and smoke-stack in sight 
above the water; and on the other side we could 
see Morro Castle, which was the boast of the 
Spanish Army and Fleet, with "Old Glory" float- 
ing proudly over it. 

This castle was built of stone, being hewn out 
by some prisoners of ancient days, and k is 
claimed in a statement of General Weyler, who 
was Governor of the island before the war, 
that it could not be destroyed by any guns of the 
American Army or Navy. 

Upon coming out of the harbor, the sea was 
running high, and our vessel was tossed about, 
not being a very large one, and running slow, 
making only about four or five knots an hour, 
with her engines in very poor condition. We, 
packed in like sardines, overlooked all this discom- 
fort as we were so pleased to feel we were on our 
way home after a successful campaign. 

I also wish to mention that while out at sea, 
coming back, on the 20th of August was my birth- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 43 

day, being just twenty years of age; and after 
four days out we sighted Long Island, which 
was a source of great joy; you could hear 
the boys say, "Home at last," and surely it was 
home, for when arriving at Montauk Point there 
had been preparations made for receiving us. 
Wall tents had been set up so that we had no work 
to do, and as we landed from the boat, the noble 
Red Cross Society was ready to meet us, 
each of us receiving a hot cup of beeftea, as 
we marched to our tents, which we thoroughly 
appreciated. 

The camp at this time looked like a city. 
Wall tents had been put up for our use with 
good bunks to sleep in, two soldiers to each tent. 
A temporary pumping station had been erected 
to distribute water around the different parts of 
the camp, and a short distance from the camp 
was the temporary hospital. 

A few days after our arrival we received our 
pay, this being the first I had received since I 
enlisted. We were well supplied with food 
and given new uniforms; the old ones that had 



44 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

been worn were piled in a heap and burned. 

People from all over the country came to wit- 
ness the return of the soldiers. 

The visitors were very good to us, giving us 
fruit and dainties, which was quite a change from 
what we had been having. Every day there were 
several excursions from New York and the sur- 
rounding towns, the excitement at the time being 
so great, and all interest turned towards the home- 
coming of the troops. 

During this excitement, I was taken down 
with the fever and sent to the hospital. While 
there, I had the pleasure of seeing the late Pres- 
ident McKinley, who came to the camp to visit 
the heroes of the war, and as he passed through 
the wards of the hospital and shook hands with 
many of the sick, you could notice upon his 
kindly face the imprint of his noble character, 
which told in unspeakable words, his heart-felt 
sympathy for the boys who went to the front; 
and also the sorrow that the war had caused 
him. 

After a few days spent in the hospital, I was 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 45 

able to be out again; and in September we re- 
ceived orders to return home to Plattsburg, 
where the 21st Infantry had been stationed before 
the war. 

The grateful news of our return to Plattsburg 
was received with cheers, and in the afternoon 
of the 14th of September, we took the train to 
the boat which took us to New London, Conn,, a 
two-hours' ride on the water. Arriving there 
towards evening, we received a rousing welcome, 
and as we had a little time before we left again, 
some of us took advantage of it and took in the 
sights of the city. At last we were called by 
the bugle to return to the depot, where we took 
the Central Vermont train to Rouses Point and 
then to Plattsburg, the train being in two sec- 
tions, and it did seem good to feel we were near- 
ing home. 

At ten o'clock the next day, we reached St. 
Albans and the reception we received at that city 
was certainly nice. Our stay there was very 
short, remaining there just long enough to 
change engines. It was not long before we came 



46 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

in sight of dear old Lake Champlain, where we 
crossed the Rutland and Central Vermont Rail- 
road bridge, and where I had a good view of 
Rouses Point, my home town, from the windows 
of the train. 

On our arriving at the station, I was met by 
my father, mother, sisters and brothers, to say 
nothing of all my dear old friends, who had 
come to welcome me; and I was presented with 
beautiful flowers by one of the leading ladies of 
the town. 

Our stay at Rouses Point was short and our 
train was soon shifted to the Delaware & Hudson 
tracks, and we were soon on our way to Platts- 
burg, a distance of twenty-four miles, arriving 
there at about 12 o'clock noon, on the 15th day 
of September, 1898. 

On arriving at Plattsburg, we were met at the 
station by crowds of people from all the 
surrounding towns and cities, who had come to 
welcome us, and the excitement was intense; 
whistles were blowing, bells were rung, bands 
were playing and everyone seemed to be taking 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 47 

a holiday to celebrate the occasion. It was a 
day mingled with joy and sorrow, mothers, wives 
and sweethearts coming to meet the boys, while 
others came to inquire of the dear ones who were 
left behind, never to return. 

The hospital train had arrived ahead of us and 
they were not such a cheerful lot, as many were 
still quite sick, others convalescent and many 
of them died shortly after their arrival. 

After leaving the train, we formed into our 
own companies under the command of Captain 
Ebstein and started on our march towards the 
barracks, headed by General McKibbin, Captain 
Ebstein, and Lieutenant Morrow, aide of General 
McKibbin; these officers were mounted. Then 
came the Rouses Point cornet band and then the 
officers and enlisted men, numbering two hundred 
and forty-nine out of five hundred and sixty-five 
who went to the front; then came the 21st In- 
fantry band who had done good service in Cuba, 
having lost quite a number of their players; how- 
ever, we were all cheerful and enjoyed the re- 
ception we were receiving. 



48 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

The city was beautifully decorated, the Ameri- 
can and Cuban flags being prominent in the 
displays. 

Those killed in the 21st Infantry at Santiago 
were the following: William Davis, Company A; 
Fred Weishart, Company A; Edward Plaude, 
Company E; Robert McClatchey, Company C; 
Benjamin Doling, Company F, and Albert Tom- 
kinson. Company H. 

On the 22nd day of February, 1899, ^ marble 
slab, which was presented to the regiment by the 
Plattsburg Institute, was inlaid on the side of the 
administration building at the Plattsburg Bar- 
racks, on which was inscribed the names of those 
who fell at Santiago de Cuba who were in the 
Twenty-first Infantry. The ceremonies of the 
unveiling of the memorial were very impressive 
and were largely attended by many of the citizens 
of Plattsburg as well as the regiment. 



VI. 



RECEPTION AT PLATTSBURG. 

On arriving at the barrack grounds we found 
the road lined on both sides with 700 soldiers, 
who had enlisted while we were away, and as we 
passed them, they presented arms. On ar- 
riving at the mess hall we found that the ladies 
of Plattsburg had prepared a grand dinner for 
us. When we had all been seated at the different 
tables, the following formal written message 
was presented by Dr. Madden of Plattsburg, 
Chairman of Citizens' Executive Committee: 

"Officers and men of the 21st Regiment: — 

"For almost five months, the citizens of Platts- 
burg watched your fortunes with anxious solici- 
tude. For you, we have dreaded, hoped, feared 
and exulted; and from your intrepid behavior, 
we have all felt ourselves entitled to distinction. 

49 



50 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

Heroism is always associated with the pathetic, 
and now that the perils of war are passed, the 
joy of the welcome, which it is our distinguished 
privilege to give to you, is tinged with solemnity. 
It is prompted not only by that universal and 
enthusiastic sentiment of admiration and grati- 
tude which to-day is swelling in every American 
heart, but also by that nearer personal attach- 
ment developed through years of association with 
you, during which time you have become the re- 
cipients of our trust, our respect, our honor and 
our affection. As you return with ranks depleted 
from the withering blast of battle and the wasting 
breath of disease, our huzzas for your gallantry 
are tempered by the minor tones of grief at the 
losses and sacrifices you have undergone. We 
exult in your triumphs, but we sorrow at your 
sufferings. We rejoice in your return, but we 
mourn for the men as brave as you, who met their 
death in Cuban thicket or in distant hospitals, 
and for those men, your comrades, whom, 
reduced from the strength of manhood to infant 
helplessness, you have left behind. Words them- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 51 

selves are totally inadequate to fully express the 
depth and sincerity of our greeting. We have 
sought a more substantial means than that of 
hackneyed phrase. We ask you to behold it in 
flushed cheek and kindling eye, to hear it in the 
welcoming cheer and individual congratulations, 
to feel it in the warm hand grasp and to enjoy it in 
all the attentions which we are proud to bestow 
upon you in recognition of the dangerous service 
you have done." 

To this Captain Ebstein made the following 
reply : 

"On behalf of the officers and men of the 21st 
Infantry, I return the sincere thanks of all for 
the magnificent reception extended to us on our 
return from the campaign in Cuba. It was in- 
deed a glorious homecoming, the generous, boun- 
tiful and sincere welcome you extended to us has 
touched us deeply, and makes us more in love 
with Plattsburg and its patriotic citizens than 
ever. — God bless you all !" 

Many of my own townspeople came down 



52 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

welcome us, and having my own town band with 
us, all the members of whom I knew, made it 
very pleasant for me. 

After dinner we were given our liberty for 
awhile, and many of us took advantage of it 
and took in the County Fair which was being 
held at Plattsburg that week. I went with some 
of the band boys, who were very kind to me, and 
would not allow me to spend a cent, which I ap- 
preciated, as I was not very flush with funds at 
that time. That same night a beautiful display 
of fireworks was given on the parade grounds. 
I retired very early that evening as I was thor- 
oughly tired out after all the excitement of the 
past few days. 

The new recruits who had enlisted while we 
were away had pitched their tents on the parade 
grounds and we occupied the quarters. In the 
meantime some of my friends had asked Captain 
Bonsteil, who was Company commander, to let 
me go home for a few days' visit, and not long 
after, through the intercession of Sergeant Cas- 
semyer, I was given a seven days' leave of ab- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 53 

sence, and I was not long in taking the train for 
Rouses Point; and on arriving there, the recep- 
tion I received is something I will never forget. 

I was met at the station, much to my sur- 
prise, by the band, and the whole town seemed 
to have turned out to greet me. I was escorted 
through the main streets, with the band playing 
national airs, as far as my father's store, with 
colored light and fireworks, where a reception 
was held, and where I received congratulations 
and hand-shakes from all my old friends. I ap- 
preciate that this was due to the fact that the ex- 
citement attending a war of such importance to 
the nation was going on, and that I was the only 
person from town who had been engaged in the 
Spanish-American war. 

After a short reception at my father's store, I 
went directly home, as I was very tired, where 
they had prepared a nice lunch for me, but I 
did not eat much as I was not feeling well and 
retired very early. 

I remained home only five days, as I con- 
tinued to feel worse each day, and then returned 



54 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

to Plattsburg, where I was taken sick with ma- 
larial fever and was confined at the hospital at 
the Post, with a very high temperature. I had 
never been very sick before, but I certainly made 
up for lost time. Every bed in the hospital was 
occupied by the sick who had returned from the 
war. After three weeks or so I commenced to 
get better and was soon ready to return to my 
company for duty. 

Up to this time most of the guard duty work 
had been done by the recruits who had enlisted to 
go to the Philippines and during the rest of 1898 
and 1899, we were kept very busy drilling, until 
the General Order (No. 40) that the President 
had made came, "That all men who had enlisted 
at the time war was declared, had the privilege 
to leave the army." But I did not care to take 
advantage of this order to take my discharge, as 
I had heard that the 21st Infantry was soon to 
leave for the Philippines, and I was anxious 
and willing to do more service, and did not care 
to leave my company. But in order to do so, I 
had to sign certain papers, declaring my inten- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 55 

tion to remain with the army until the rest of 
the three years' service were up. Many of the 
soldiers took advantage of this offer and returned 
to their homes. 

During the winter the drilling was done in the 
basement of the quarters and every week we had 
musical drill at the drill hall, the 21st In- 
fantry band furnishing the music for the purpose. 

I spent a very pleasant winter at the Platts- 
burg Barracks before leaving for the Philippines, 
as we had very little guard duty to do or what 
is termed in army talk, "nights in." 



VII. 

ORDERED TO THE PHILIPPINES. 

Our regiment now numbered about 1350 and 
in March, 1899, word came that we were soon to 
leave for the East, and it did not take the news 
long to spread, but we did not know the exact 
time we were to leave, and were kept in sus- 
pense. Most of the soldiers who had been con- 
fined in the hospital were out, and in the latter 
part of March we received official orders to 
leave for the seat of war, the date being set for 
April 10, 1899. The time intervening passed 
very speedily. 

A few weeks before our orders came for our 
departure, passes were issued to those who 
wished to visit their homes, especially those who 
did not live far from Plattsburg, and I took ad- 
vantage of this and made my parents a visit for 
a few days. 

On my return to the Post, we only had a few 
57 



58 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

days to pack up and make ready to leave, and 
there had been a freight train placed on the side 
tracks near the barracks. On the 8th of April, 
the order was given to load the train, which 
included our baggage, and on the 9th of April, 
we received official orders to leave and all we 
had left with us were our knapsacks and haver- 
sacks; the former being made of heavy canvas, 
in such a manner as to carry two blankets, shoes, 
underwear and stockings, also other small arti- 
cles that one might wish to carry; while the 
haversack is made on about the same plan as a 
knapsack, only smaller, this being used to carry 
food, cooking utensils, knives and forks. The 
knapsacks are placed on our backs by means of 
straps going over the shoulders, while the haver- 
sack is placed on our left side, also supported by 
straps. 

On the afternoon of the loth of April, we were 
all lined up in order on the parade grounds in 
front of the quarters, which consisted of twelve 
companies and the band. 

A general roll-call was then given to make 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 59 

sure that every one was present. It was a fine 
day for this work, and certainly it made a thrill- 
ing sight to see all the troops lined up 1350 strong. 
The command was then given to march by Colonel 
Kline, and, headed by the band, we proceeded to 
the train. 

At the time we left for the Philippines the fol- 
lowing were the officers of the 21st U. S. In- 
fantry: Colonel Jacob Kline, Commanding; Capt. 
C. M. Truitt, Adjutant; Capt. L. J. Hearn, 
Quartermaster; Lieut. F. H. Lawton, Acting 
Commissary. First Battalion — Major W. H. 
Boyle, commanding; Lieut. Peter Murray, Ad- 
jutant. Co. B, Lieut. R. H. Van Deman, Lieut. 
E. T. Conley. Co. F, Capt. H. L. Bailey. Co. 
C, Lieut. J. J. O'Connell, Lieut. W. M. Fassett. 
Co. L., Lieut. M. M. Weeks. Second Battalion — 
Capt. F. E. Eltonhead, commanding, Lieut. Lutz 
Wahl, Adjutant. Co. D, Capt. F. E. Elton, 
Lieut. Anton Springer. Co. K, Lieut. H. Clem- 
ent, Lieut. E. A. Bumpus. Co. H, Capt. A. L. 
Parmenter, Lieut. J. M. Love, Jr. Co. I, Lieut. 
W. H. Mullay, Lieut. A. H. Huguet. Third Bat- 



6o REMINISCENCES OF THE 

talion — Capt. C. H. Bonesteel, commanding; 
Lieut. W. M. Morrow, Adjutant. Co. G, Capt. 
C. Bonesteel; Lieut. D. G. Spurgin. Co. M, 
Capt, J. S. Parke, Jr., Lieut. C. R. Ramsay. Co. 
E, Capt. E. W. McCaskey, Lieut. P. A. Con- 
nolly. Co. A, Lieut. F. K. Meade. Medical 
Officers — Major W. P. Kendall, Lieut. H. M. 
Wetherill, Ass't. Acting Sergeant J. H. Hep- 
burn. 

The freight train had left in the first section, 
the troops taking the sleeping coaches that had 
been placed at our disposal at the barrack 
grounds. This train consisted of three sections 
of Wagner sleeping cars, and there had gathered 
a large crowd to see us depart. Again we ex- 
perienced one of the sad features of military 
life, seeing wives, mothers and sweethearts of 
the soldiers bid farewell to those they loved, in 
many instances for the last time, perhaps, never 
to lay eyes on them again. 

My father and brother were there to see me, 
but I kept up my courage and did not let them 
know the sadness I felt. The three sections 




5 <^' 

O a; 

— 00 



p ~ 
"S3 _ 



C'< 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 6i 

finally started, I being in the second, and not 
very far apart, and as we left, the people of 
Plattsburg again showed the same spirit that 
had welcomed us home from the war In Cuba. 

I must say we were well taken care of all 
along the journey, with good beds to sleep In 
and excellent food. I will not undertake to 
name all of the towns and cities we stopped at 
along the route, but I will mention some of the 
principal ones. We made our first stop at White- 
hall, where I met my cousins, who knew that I was 
on the train. 

Order had to be kept on the trains as well as In 
the barracks, each one having guard duty to per- 
form. Our meals were passed to us in our seats, 
and we always had hot coffee, each section hav- 
ing two baggage cars where the coffee was made 
on stoves that were set up for that purpose. 

On our arrival at Jamestown, N. Y., the fol- 
lowing day, the people there were prepared to 
give us a good send-off, with a fife and drum 
corps, which consisted of Civil War veterans, 
and which rendered appropriate music. The 



62 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

ladies threw flowers and cigarettes to us and in 
return would ask for souvenirs, such as buttons 
and cross-guns; and the reception we received 
all along the route was about the same. 

The next large city we stopped at was Chi- 
cago, where we stayed five hours, but were not 
allowed to go very far from the train as they 
did not know how soon they would get orders to 
leave, but we met many people there and had 
a very enjoyable time. 

The next place of importance was Omaha, 
Neb., where the weather was getting much 
warmer and it was somewhat uncomfortable in 
the cars, but the evenings were cool. 

The next large town we came to was Chey- 
enne, Wyoming, where we were allowed to visit 
the town, and here I bought postal cards and sent 
to my friends. At the store where I purchased 
the cards, I offered in payment a Canadian Bill, 
which is common to people of northern New 
York, and I was greatly amazed when the clerk 
in the store refused to accept it, saying that he 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 63 

had never seen one before, claiming it was not 
good, so I was advised to get it changed at a 
bank where I was allowed ninety cents for it. 

Fortunately for us, we reached most of the 
large cities in the daytime, which made it much 
pleasanter on our trip. It was somewhat tedious 
and lonesome passing across the prairies where 
nothing could be seen but sand which blew 
through the car windows and made things rather 
dirty. 

Then we came to the Thousand Mile Tree, 
which the tourists always look for on the way. 
Entering the first narrows of the canyon, the 
One Thousand Mile Tree is passed, a thrifty 
branching pine, bearing on its trunk a signboard 
that tells the western bound traveler that he has 
passed over one thousand miles of railway from 
Omaha. 

This living milestone of nature's planting has 
long marked this place, long before the hardy 
Mormons passed down this wild gorge; and be- 
low this tree the cars cross a trestle bridge to 



64 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

the left bank of the Weber, thence down but a 
short distance before they cross over another 
trestle to the right-hand side, and then almost 
opposite the bridge on the side of the mountain 
to the left can be seen the Devil's Slide or ser- 
rated rocks. This slide is composed of two 
granite rocks reaching from the river nearly to 
the summit of a sloping grass-clad mountain. 
They are from fifty to two hundred feet high, 
narrow slabs, standing on edge, as though forced 
out of the mountain-side. The two edges run 
parallel with each other, about ten feet apart, 
the space between being covered with grass, wild 
flowers and climbing vines. 

We then came to the Sierra Nevada Mountains 
where we passed forty miles of continuous snow- 
sheds which made it very damp and chilly, the 
snow-sheds being covered with snow; and the 
water ran down the sides of the cars from 
the melting snow and made it very unpleasant. 
This was made up for, however, as soon as we 
reached California. Here the scenery is beauti- 
ful, as the railroad runs along at a very high 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 65 

elevation, and as we looked down into the val- 
leys below, everything was in full bloom, much 
in contrast to what we had just passed through. 



VIII. 



ARRIVAL AT MANILA. 



Arriving at Oakland, just across from San 
Francisco, we took the railroad ferry to the city, 
but were not very long on the water; and here 
we were received by a very large crowd of peo- 
ple, with several bands, and they escorted us to 
the wharf where the transport "Hancock" lay, 
the boat on which we were to sail for the Philip- 
pines. As we had to stay over night, many of 
the soldiers had changed their minds about 
going, and deserted, no doubt through homesick- 
ness, which is a very common occurrence with 
recruits. The freight which had gone on ahead 
of us and all the baggage had been unloaded at 
the wharf and lay alongside the transport, and 
we had to load it on the boat, which took us 
until the next day at four o'clock. I had often 

67 



68 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

heard about the beautiful dimate of California, 
and it certainly was no mistake. 

The transport was complete with all its crew 
and freight, and the regiment was now ready to 
sail. We started out of the harbor on the morn- 
ing of April 17th at about eight o'clock; our 
band playing "My Country 'Tis of Thee, Sweet 
Land of Liberty," a fitting tribute to the beautiful 
country we were leaving behind. As we passed 
on through the "Golden Gate" unto the mysteries 
we knew not of, and as we took one last glance 
at the country that was so dear to all of us, our 
feelings gave way to tears, for we did not know 
but that we were going to "that land from which 
no traveler e'er returns." 

The "Hancock" was at that time the fastest 
transport in the service, being about four hun- 
dred and eighty feet long and carrying sixteen 
hundred and sixty men on board. It was some- 
what crowded, each company occupying a very 
small part of the deck; and at meal hours, we all 
had to line up and pass the kitchen, where we re- 
ceived our rations. Our food was very good. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 69 

but the water was bad; being condensed and 
placed in tanks on the deck, which were ex- 
posed to the hot sun. But with all these dis- 
comforts, we had a very pleasant trip, as the 
band would give concerts every night on the upper 
deck; we also had drilling every day which gave 
us some excitement. 

The sea was rather rough going and it was 
amusing to see the boys scramble when the high 
waves would wash over the decks. Every day 
we would take shower baths, so we kept our- 
selves clean at least. Our berths were arranged 
below the decks, in tiers of three high and two 
wide, the bottoms being made of canvas on which 
we also used our blankets; we each had a pillow so 
we were made very comfortable. 

When we were out about five days the engines 
of the transport got out of order and we were 
obliged to stop for repairs, and as the seas were 
running very high at the time, it was very un- 
pleasant for us for awhile, but the wind soon 
went down and it became quite calm. Then some 
of the boys had great sport fishing for sharks, 



70 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

of which there are most always some following a 
ship at sea. This was done by placing a large 
piece of meat on a large hook such as are used 
in butcher shops to hang meat on, and to this is 
attached a long rope which is used as a line and 
thrown over the side of the boat into the sea. 

In a few moments, we noticed the rope tighten- 
ing, and sure enough a huge shark had swal- 
lowed the meat, hook and all, and it was no easy 
task to haul it on board, as it was very heavy; 
but with the aid of several soldiers we finally 
succeeded in landing him. In doing so, we had 
to take a turn around a mast of the ship and 
pull it in gradually. It was nine feet long and 
weighed four hundred pounds; and the next 
trouble we experienced was in killing it, which 
was accomplished by cutting off part of the tail, 
which caused it to bleed to death. The meat is 
not very good to eat, but the Chinamen we had 
along with us seemed to like it and ate it with 
a relish. The joints in the small part of the tail 
were taken out and we made small rings out of 
them which we sent homejater. This same day 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 71 

another shark was caught In the same manner, 
and in the meantime the engines had been re- 
paired and were In working order, and we again 
started on our long voyage. 

Some of the boys had been taken sick with 
fever and other diseases and we had the mis- 
fortune of losing two men on the way over; 
one out of Company E and the other, Joseph 
Chevaher, who died of brain fever; he was a 
relative of Mr. Chevalier who was at one time 
Superintendent of the Ogdensburg & Lake Cham- 
plain Railroad Company. The ceremonies at the 
burial of these two soldiers were very sad. At 
the time the transports were not equipped 
for keeping the dead, as they were later on, 
and the bodies had to be thrown overboard. 
At the burial, the boat came to a stop, the bodies 
were placed on the decks with weights attached 
to their legs, and each was wrapped in canvas, 
which was tied about them; then each body was 
placed on a wide board and taken to the side of 
the ship, with feet outward towards the water, 
and the American flag was placed over them 



72 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

covering their bodies. The captain of the boat 
then read a few verses from the Bible, and 
after these solemn ceremonies the bodies were 
slid from under the American flag from the 
board into the water, and hundreds of sharks 
could be seen about the place where the bodies 
fell. The effect on the soldiers was very marked 
and many of the men and officers shed tears at 
the burial. 

The route to the Philippines was much shorter 
than the other boats had taken as we did not 
go by the way of Honolulu, but took another 
course. An interesting fact was called to our 
attention on the journey over, the international 
line which marks the change of time which 
makes the difference of one day in going to the 
Philippines. 

On the way over, we saw several whales from 
a distance, and after we had been sailing for 
fifteen days, our attention was called to the 
group of Bonin Islands, one of which is an enor- 
mous rock rising from the sea at an angle greater 
than sixty degrees on three sides and is said to be 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 73 

3000 feet high. At a distance of about sixty 
miles, we could see it, and seven miles was the 
nearest we got to it, but what attracted our at- 
tention most was the sun setting just behind 
the rock; the sun was red and showed its 
different colors on the rock which made it a very 
picturesque object. 

At last we arrived at Manila Bay on the 13th 
day of May, being just one year from the date of 
my enlistment, and as we entered the harbor, 
the first thing we noticed was Correggidor Island 
and the large guns that Dewey had silenced with 
his fleet just a short time before. Correggidor 
Island is a high and precipitous island laying 
one mile off shore and directly in the mouth of the 
entrance to Manila Bay, which is about six 
miles wide, and the island rises to a height of 
six hundred feet, and crowning its crest was a 
modern battery of big Krupp guns, the best ship 
destroyers in the world. Five miles across in the 
mainland was the rock mounted battery of El 
Fraile, and it made a queer impression on all 
of us to see the city of Manila from the harbor; 



74 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

the buildings, the people in small boats around 
the bay, all seemed strange to us, and it was 
all so much different than we had witnessed in 
Cuba. We could also see the town of Cavlte, at 
which place was a dry dock for the repair of 
different ships. A large arsenal was also built 
at that town. 

We were all anxious to land, for the trip had 
been so long and most of the men had been sea- 
sick. The "Hancock" had to anchor in the bay 
as it was too large to go alongside the docks in 
the Pasig River. The river was filled with 
steamers that ply between Oriental ports. This 
river is only of moderate depth, but was constantly 
choked with small craft, while the larger ones dis- 
charged and loaded on the bay. 

As we lay there in the harbor we could see the 
Spanish gunboats that had been sunk by Dewey's 
fleet; the "Costilla," "Don Juan de Austria," 
"Don Antonia de Ulloa," "Isle de Cuba," "El 
Cano," "Isle de Luzon," which was raised later 
on, and the flagship "Reina Christina" lay at 
the bottom of the bay and only the stacks and 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 75 

masts could be seen, while some of them were sunk 
so close to the shore that we could plainly see part 
of the hulls, the water not being very deep there. 
Dewey's fleet of warships which had destroyed the 
Spanish fleet and silenced the guns at Correggidor 
Island were also in the harbor. 

We all had to be taken In cascoes and towed 
ashore and were finally landed at the city of 
Manila, and here had a good view of the entrance 
of the Paslg River. We proceeded directly to 
the "Lunetta," what we would term a park 
in the States, facing the harbor; the day 
was beautiful and the place was fine for a camp 
where we pitched our dog tents (the term used 
in the army). Before retiring that night, we 
heard a Spanish lady playing on a piano and 
singing in Spanish in a building not far from 
where we camped, and while we could not un- 
derstand the words, they being In Spanish, the 
music was fine, and all the boys listened to it 
with great attention, it made us think of home. 
After listening to the singing for a while, we 
made up our beds on the ground with our 



76 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

blankets and retired, as we were all very much 
fatigued; I had experienced this before and I 
did not mind it, and had a good sleep. The next 
morning we were up early as we wanted to have a 
good look at the city. We did not know how 
long we would stay there, but we were told not 
to leave the camp. 




(33 



IX. 



AT EL DEPOSOTO. 



Most of the volunteer regiments that had been 
in the Philippines and who had done lots of 
fighting and hard service were ordered home and 
replaced by regulars. 

The regiment was then furnished with water 
buffaloes and carts to draw our baggage, also 
six Chinamen to a company which took charge 
of them. 

We then marched on towards a place called 
El Deposoto, which was four miles distant. The 
road was very bad and our water supply ran 
short, having only a little water left in our 
canteens. We were told by the officers to drink 
only a little at a time so it would last until 
we reached El Deposoto, where we arrived at 
about 1 1 o'clock in the forenoon, and there we 
had all the water we wanted to drink, as there 

77 



78 REMINISCENCES OF THE j 

was plenty of it. Here we relieved the 24th 
Infantry, a colored regiment. 

The building at the El Deposoto is a large 
two-story building facing the road, with a large 
veranda in front, shaped like most of the Spanish 
buildings and looked very ancient; at the rear ,. 

of this place, covering about ten acres of ,| 

land, were numerous subterranean tunnels, about | 

seven or eight feet high, made of cement, | 

which v/ere filled with water and brought there i| 

through pipes from the pumping station located 
four miles distant, at the Mariquina River, and 
was used as a reserve supply for the city of 
Manila. Every few feet apart openings were ' 

made at the top of these tunnels and stairs rnade 
of stone led down under ground, at the end of 
which were iron gates. One could stand at the 
bottom of these stairs and see the water in these 
underground canals; the water in this way was 
kept very cool and clear. At the right of this 
building was a beautiful garden, all fenced in by 
a high iron fence, and the aroma from the flowers 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 79 

was carried for quite a distance around, especially 
in the early morning. 

Our camp here was very good, but the guard 
and patrol duty was exceedingly hard. It was 
located not far from a church, which was oc- 
cupied by a volunteer regiment, and at the rear 
of this church was a graveyard with vaults made 
of very thick and sealed walls; some of the sol- 
diers had broken the seals and exposed some of 
the bodies and the stench that came from them 
was v^ery bad; but we soon had it covered again. 
Every night thirty-four privates and four non- 
commissioned officers mounted guard duty, giving 
us only one night in. 

Company E of the 21st Infantry was guard- 
ing the rear of the El Deposoto near the Mari- 
quina road, and on the i6th of May they were 
attacked by the Filipinos, but they were soon 
driven away. In this attack one soldier was 
wounded, being struck in the hip; the bullet struck 
his bayonet which hung on his side and shattered 
the wooden and metal parts of the bayonet 



8o REMINISCENCES OF THE 

making an ugly but not fatal wound. The firing 
lasted about twenty minutes on both sides. 

The waterworks I have mentioned were four 
miles from El Deposoto, and the road between 
these two places had to be guarded by means of 
patrol, we having to cover half of the distance 
and the Wyoming regiment the other half, and 
both patrols had a meeting place half-way. The 
pipes that furnished water to the depository lay 
on top of the ground from the water-works to 
the city of Manila, and this patrol duty was to 
keep a close look-out in order that the pipe line 
would not be broken by insurgents. Four men 
would start out at the same time from each end 
of the route, two from the 21st Infantry and two 
from the Wyoming regiment, keeping about ten 
feet distance apart, and if one patrol would ar- 
rive at the meeting place first, then they had to 
wait for the others, and report to see if every- 
thing was clear. Before we arrived at our meet- 
ing place on the patrol line, we had to cross 
the San Juan bridge, from which the first shot 
from the Americans was fired by Private Gray- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 8 1 

son of the Nebraska regiment of volunteers and 
was returned by a volley from the insurgents' 
outpost of this bridge, which set the ball rolling 
on the night of February 4th, 1899. A short 
distance away on top of a small hill was the 
powder mill which the Spaniards operated be- 
fore the war. 

A telegraph line had been laid from General 
Hall's headquarters at El Deposoto to the 
water-works so that he would know just at what 
time each patrol started, and by the time we 
would return two more men would start out so 
that there was always some one on the lookout. 

The road was very bad and that made It hard 
for us to walk; it was of clay and it being the 
rainy season made it still worse; and what added 
more to our troubles, and I believe the worst 
trouble of all, was the mosquitoes which would 
nearly eat us alive; the only way we ever 
could get rid of them was when a good 
stiff wind would start up and blow them away. 
Some nights were very dark and we could hardly 



82 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

see more than ten feet apart, which at times 
made it very uncomfortable for us on the patrols, 
for we did not know at what moment we might 
come in contact with the enemy; when we heard 
some one coming, we would come to a halt and 
challenge, so in that way we took no chances. 

While on this patrol duty, a very funny inci- 
dent happened a few nights after arriving. I 
was about one mile from the camp with my 
companion in arms, who was also on the patrol 
with me, but was walking about ten feet in my 
rear. I was halted by him, who called my atten- 
tion to what appeared to be a man in one of the 
banana trees. The wind was softly moving amid 
the trees, which made the night more beautiful, 
the moon was clouded just a little; as soon as my 
eyes saw this thing in the tree, I immediately 
ducked, bringing my gun in a position to fire, when 
the moon came out and we discovered that it was 
the leaves waving back and forth with the light 
breeze. This will show you just how we had to 
be on guard. When we arrived back to camp. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 83 

those who heard the story certainly had the joke 
on us. 

One day we received the news that Admiral 
Dewey was going to visit the water-works, and 
of course we were all anxious to see him. We 
soon found the report to be true, and soon a 
carriage came in sight up the road, which was 
something new to us at that place. We felt sure 
that it was the Admiral. He stepped out of the 
carriage to make a call on General Hall and we 
were called to order and presented arms. I had 
a good look at him and he looked very tired and 
worn-out. 

At night when we were not on guard duty, we 
would pass the time reading, with only a candle 
for a light, one to each tent, and this had to last 
us for three nights. 

While on guard duty one night, one of our 
officers. Lieutenant Spurgin, received the sad 
cablegram that his wife had died at Plattsburg 
His tent was close to where I was walking post 



84 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

and he asked me to give him a drink of water 
from my canteen, which I did. It was certainly 
pitiful to see him; all of the soldiers were very 
much affected by the sad news he had received. 
He was very popular with the men under him, 
was always very kind and thoughtful for their 
welfare and he had shown his kindness of heart 
throughout the Cuban campaign. 

In the latter part of May, we received orders 
to move on to the water-works to relieve the 
regiment that had been doing guard duty there 
for two months, and they were certainly very 
happy when they received the news that the 2ist 
was to relieve them, as at this time the volunteers 
were all leaving the island to their great pleasure. 
Too much praise cannot be given to the volunteers 
for they proved themselves to be good soldiers. 

The first of June we marched to the water- 
works, or pumping station as we called it, it 
being eight miles from Manila; the Mariquina 
River, from which the city of Manila was sup- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 85 

plied with water, was only eight hundred yards 
from where we had pitched our tents, but our 
camp was much higher than the pumping station 
and we could easily overlook the Mariqulna Val- 
ley that extended about four miles to the foot 
of the mountains, where the Filipino insurgents 
were stationed. The Filipinos would signal each 
other by means of lights at different places, and 
by this means they could locate each other along 
their lines, this being done all along the foot of the 
mountains for miles. 

Rice fields could be seen all through the val- 
ley, and to the left of the pumping station, on 
the other side of the river, the town of San 
Mateo lay. The guard duty was much different 
than It was at El Deposoto, having no patrol to 
do, but we had to be more on our guard, being on 
the hne. Two guns of the Third Artillery were 
placed close to a blockhouse, thus making this 
place a very good stronghold. 

All of the companies of the 21st Infantry 



86 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

did not go to the water-works. Company C, D, 
E, H, I and K were sent to Calamba in July 
where they had had several battles before the 
rest of the regiment was sent there. 



k. 



BATTLE AT CALAMBA. 

On the 4th day of August, seventy-eight men 
of Company G, 21st Infantry, and forty from 
the Fourth Cavalry, started on a hike to a town 
called Tyatya, eight miles away across the Mari- 
quina river, taking with us a two days' food 
supply, as we did not know how long we would 
be away. We expected to meet the enemy at 
any moment, for they had already made several 
attacks on one of our battalions at Morong, four 
miles south of Tyatya. We reached the town 
late in the afternoon without coming in contact 
with the enemy; we had gotten very wet 
going through rice fields as they are most of the 
time covered with water; but our clothes were 
soon dried. Here we rested, made coffee, and 
had a good lunch, after which we started back 
to the water-works. Everything was quiet around 
our camp, for most of the fighting was going on 

87 



88 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

at Calamba, which was held by volunteers and 
the companies of the 21st Infantry. 

In a few days another effort was made to locate 
the Filipinos and this time a different route was 
taken towards San Mateo, three miles across the 
river to the left. I was not called to take part 
in this hike, but some of my company were, and 
those who did not had to guard the camp. This 
expedition consisted of the following, four troops 
of the Fourth Cavalry, four companies of the 21st 
Infantry, two companies of the 29th and three 
of the 25th Colored Infantry. They started out 
on the morning of the 12th of August, 1899. 
They had not been gone very long when they were 
fired upon and a pitched battle took place, and we 
could easily locate the place where they were 
fighting, as we could see it from our camp over- 
looking the valley. 

Five of our men were killed and several 
wounded in this engagement. It was one of the 
enemy's strongholds, and they had already killed 
some of the soldiers who had been near that 
place a few days before. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 89 

On August 15th, we received an order to pro- 
ceed to Manila and on the i6th we broke camp 
and arrived there that night, but we did not re- 
main there very long, having to take the train for 
Beguie, twenty-five miles away on Manila and 
Dagupan Railroad, to relieve the i6th Infantry. 
We were given two hundred rounds of ammu- 
nition each, with orders to hold that place; but 
on arriving there, we found the town deserted, and 
after staying there all night without encountering 
the enemy, we returned to Manila. 

We had not received any funds for a long 
time and most of the boys were without any, but 
our Second Lieutenant VIckers let us have a little 
so we could purchase things we needed. 

This officer, I have mentioned, used to be a 
private of Company A of the 21st Infantry and 
received his commission as second lieutenant on 
the transport "Hancock" while we were on our 
way to the Philippines. On the second day of 
May, 1902, he was killed In action with the Moros 
at Bayan, P. I, which is now called Camp 
VIckers. 



90 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

A very few volunteers now remained in the 
Philippines, most of them having returned to 
the States, but the soldiers kept coming to the 
Islands to fill out the companies which had been 
weakened by this time by the loss of so many 
men. After remaining at Manila for a few days, 
we took the cascoes for Calamba up the Pasig 
river, to join the rest of the regiment, some forty 
miles distant; we lost two of our men on the way 
there by drowning, they having fallen overboard 
as the boat struck the bridge. 

The cascoes were towed by steamboats and 
were very slow, but the trip along the river was 
very picturesque and on coming to the town of 
Pasig, we had a very good view of what was 
called the Governor's Palace of the Spanish 
Government; it was a beautiful building, the 
roof extending far over the water, and a hand- 
some yacht lay under an extension close to the 
building. 

We passed many cascoes loaded with cocoa- 
nuts, and others with bananas and oranges on 
their way to the city of Manila. On each side 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 9 1 

the river was lined with tall bamboo trees. We 
took notice of all those things along the route 
and enjoyed it very much, but we were not very 
comfortable on these boats, or cascoes, as they are 
called, as they are small and there were so many 
of us that we had to stand all the way and were 
very much crowded. 

We soon reached the Bay of Laguna from 
which the Pasig River starts, and then in a few 
hours reached Calamba, a small town where the 
troops disembarked; and this was no easy task 
as there was no dock and we had to be taken 
ashore in small boats. 

The roads leading to the town of Calamba were 
flooded and we were obliged to wade in the 
water up to our knees until we reached the town 
where we found the roads a little better. Here 
we occupied small native shacks as we called them, 
remaining there until the next day. 

Our supplies had all been taken out of the 
cascoes and to the town where we made our head- 
quarters, and one of the buildings in the place 
was taken for that purpose. 



92 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

The regiment then took its place on the line, 
the enemy being only about eight hundred yards 
away in the mountains where the insurgents were 
making a very strong stand, and holding that sec- 
tion of the country. Our outposts were fired 
upon nearly every day and we could not advance 
any further, as we had all we could do to hold 
the town. 

The gunboat "Lagunade Bay" helped a great 
deal by keeping a lookout all along the water 
front. Our outposts were about two miles from 
the town of Calamba, and we had to cross a 
small river in a boat. A wire was strung across 
and the boat was attached to it, pulling ourselves 
across in that manner. 

Sugar-cane was plentiful in that section of the 
country and the different sugar plants and mills 
which were partly destroyed showed that there 
was a large business in that line carried on in 
times of peace. 

This was in the month of October and the 
rainy season had set in at its worst, making the 
campaign very disagreeable, and mosquitoes were 



SPANISH AMERICAN WAR 93 

more numerous at this time of the year. Many 
of the boys at that time had been taken down 
with fever, cutting the number down in the line 
of duty, and those who were well had double 
duty to perform. 

Company A of our regiment was stationed 
three miles away at Los Bannoes and occupied 
a church as their quarters and near this church 
was a hot spring. Los Bannoes was to the left 
of us and the lines of the insurgents extended 
as far as this town, and as it lay close to the 
water front, our boys could easily have the aid 
of the gunboats which were always on the look- 
out. 

On the third of October, the Filipinos made a 
desperate attack on us, which started at 11 
o'clock in the forenoon and took us entirely by 
surprise. For the first time since we had been 
there the three 2-10 inch guns of Battery F of 
the Fifth Artillery were put into action and did 
great work, as they were placed on a hill at the 
rear of us, back of Company E, sending the 
shrapnel over our trenches. It was not until 



94 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

five o'clock in the afternoon of the same day that 
they ceased firing, as the shells of our guns did 
deadly work and put them on the retreat. This 
was the first real battle we had had since our 
arrival at Calamba and was hotly contested on 
both sides, and many of our soldiers were wound- 
ed. We did not make any advance, however, 
being the only regiment there, and not having any 
reserves to reinforce us. We heard the next day 
that there had been a general attack all along the 
line, and that General Pio Del Pelar of the insur- 
gent force had been killed, which was gratifying 
news to us, as he had been considered the best 
General they had, and he had been the means of 
keeping the American forces very busy. 

Our troops all along the north line had been 
fighting most of the time, the Filipinos being 
led by Aguinaldo himself, the man whom the 
American forces wanted to capture most of all, 
and who later on fell into the hands of General 
Funston. 

In the meantime, we had heard that a trans- 
port had arrived in the harbor of Manila with 




Self proclaimed Dictator Kmilo Ajiuinaldo. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 95 

soldiers which were to reinforce the different 
regiments, and we were all anxious to know 
whether we were to get any for ours, as we were 
not up to the standard in number, some of our 
men having been discharged and others being sick; 
but in a few days, seventy-five recruits were sent 
to our camp. They were divided among the 
different companies. 

On a very still night while we were on out- 
post duty, we could easily hear the Filipinos count, 
one, two, three, etc., in Spanish, at their outposts, 
this being, as we afterwards learned, done to 
make sure that every one was at their post and 
on duty and not asleep. And some nights they 
would build fires along the line to draw our atten- 
tion, but their forces would not be there. They 
thought we would fire in that direction, but 
we were soon on to their game and they did not 
fool us. 

Outpost No. 3 extended further out than the 
other and was fired upon the most. A sugar 
mill had been there which was destroyed, but of 
which still remained the sandstone chimney, into 



96 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

which a soldier could climb and could overlook 
the enemy's lines by means of holes cut in 
front of the chimney. This was used to a good 
advantage. 



XI. 

DEFEAT OF THE INSURGENTS. 

Colonel Kline of our regiment received word 
that the insurgents were to make another at- 
tack on the town, and we were told to have our 
rifles close at hand and keep our shoes on in 
going to bed, — what we called a bed, at least. 
This report had been spread all along the line, 
and everyone was on the lookout, but every- 
thing was quiet for three days, not a shot being 
fired by either side, and no doubt this was done 
to keep us off of our guard. Then on the night 
of October 20th at half-past eleven o'clock the 
bullets came whizzing through our camp and we 
were soon out of our shacks to reinforce our 
outposts. 

The night being dark, we could see the flash of 
light from their rifles, which enabled us to locate 
them, and we kept up a heavy fire on them, ad- 
vancing a hundred yards further than our out- 

97 



98 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

posts, which were in the sugar-cane, until four 
o'clock in the morning, when they gave up the 
attack. 

The battery of the 5th Artillery had located 
their lines and had done deadly work; in this 
attack our loss was light. We certainly fired a 
few rounds of ammunition. 

Our outpost, number three, which was nearer 
the enemy's line, was kept busy. We fired about 
two hundred rounds of ammunition each. My 
shoulder was black and blue from the recoil of 
my rifle, and most of the boys experienced the 
same trouble. 

After this battle, we had a few weeks' rest 
as we were not attacked so often, and during this 
time we witnessed a few cock-fights, which we 
greatly enjoyed, this being one of the chief sports 
of the Filipinos. The soldiers used to bet on the 
results, as by this time we had received our pay. 
It was interesting to see how excited the boys 
would get over these cock-fights which would draw 
a large crowd of the natives who were not in the 
service of the insurgents. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 99 

Small stores had been started in Calamba 
where candies were sold to the Americans, also 
bananas and oranges, which were very common 
there. 

Many of the soldiers got to drinking a liquor 
there called beno, distilled by the natives, which 
resembled alcohol and was of very poor quality, 
and a great menace to our boys, as it was almost 
like poison. But it was the best they could 
get, and a lot of them, I am sorry to say, took too 
much of it, and many a poor fellow went crazy 
from the effects of it. Some had to be discharged 
from the service on account of it, which seemed 
such a pity, as most of the boys who went to the 
bad were fine soldiers before they had begun to 
drink this vile stuff. 

The houses, or shacks, that I have mentioned 
that we used for our quarters were made of 
bamboo and the roofs covered with long grass, 
the house being held together by means of wooden 
pins, and the floors made of narrow strips of bam- 
boo laid one-half inch apart, which is very common 



loo REMINISCENCES OF THE 

in the Philippines. They were supported by posts 
and elevated three or four feet from the ground; 
this being done on account of the rainy seasons, 
when the ground would be covered with water. 

After a time the Filipinos started firing upon 
our outposts again and kept it up for four days, 
when an order came from Colonel Kline to make 
an advance upon the enemy and drive them back, 
which was done on the i8th day of November; 
seven men of Company G, of which I was one, 
were detailed to attend a gatling gun, and the 
night before we had all been lined up and received 
instructions from the Captain of the Fifth Ar- 
tillery how to handle the gun, as none of us 
had had any of this kind of duty before we were 
given our position. 

The following morning at four o'clock, we 
started, with five companies and one battery 
of the Fifth Artillery and the gatling gun, the 
latter being drawn by two mules, all under the 
personal direction of Colonel Kline. We crossed 
a bridge going off from the main road to where 







-^'*'^;' ?-^A , ^''^ '^'i^'^ 




SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR loi 

our outposts were, and here we received the com- 
mand to form a skirmish line, when it was just 
beginning to get daylight. 

The skirmish hne extended north and south 
and the noise from the gun-carriage going over 
the rice ridges could easily be heard by the enemy, 
for at this hour of the morning, everything was 
quiet and the least noise could be heard a good 
distance away. 

As soon as they heard us approaching, as we 
supposed, there was a sharp blast from their 
bugle, which was a signal for all of the enemy's 
troops to fire, as we believed, and in a short 
time the bullets were flying thick and fast over 
our heads, and some took effect as one of our 
mules that had drawn the gatling gun was shot 
through the breast. 

A quick movement then took place, as we had 
to detach the mules from the gun and make ready 
to fire on the enemy. 

The command was given to fire at will for 
the bullets were coming fast and were getting 
pretty close to us. 



I02 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

Then the gatllng gun was ready for action, 
I being at the crank that operates the machine, 
and we soon had the machine in action. The 
three 2-10 guns of the Fifth Artillery were also 
in action firing shrapnel, and we soon had them on 
the run. We then advanced a few hundred yards 
with great difficulty, having to draw our gatling 
gun by hand, over the ridges, which was no easy 
task, it being very heavy. At last we had the 
Filipinos on the go, and we carried their trench- 
es, many of their men having been killed; we 
also took a sugar-mill, the roof of which was 
pierced with holes, which was covered with gal- 
vanized iron, showing that we had fired high. 
Now and then shots could be heard in the distance 
from the enemy without any effect, as the range 
was too far. Here we found many of the Krag 
Jorgensen shells which they had made use of 
by means of washers that had been placed around 
the head of the shell so they could use them with 
the Springfield rifle, which were of a larger cali- 
ber than our rifles. By this means they could use 
them with good effect, and it was certainly very 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 103 

clever on their part, and proves the saying that 
"Necessity is the mother of invention." 

After this fight was over and we had rested 
for a while, Colonel Kline asked someone to 
volunteer to go back to where our mule had been 
shot and bring back the harness, and as I was 
near him at the time I volunteered to go. After 
mounting a mule I started back a distance of about 
two miles, by way of a narrow path through 
the sugar-cane, and while on the way and within 
about one hundred feet of the dead mule, I 
came across the dead body of one of our soldiers 
who had been shot through the mouth, and a 
few feet away I saw the hospital corps attending 
a wounded soldier. As I could not take the har- 
ness off the dead mule alone, I asked some of the 
corps to help me, which they did, and I returned 
to the camp. This harness was put on a horse 
and was used to draw the gatling gun back to our 
quarters. Upon arriving there about three o'clock 
in the afternoon, with twenty prisoners we had 



I04 SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 

taken, we had a good meal awaiting us which 
we ate with great relish, as we were very hungry. 
In this battle our loss was heavy. 




Filipinos Dead in tlie Trenches. 



XII. 



FUNERAL OF GENERAL LAWTON. 

We had received through the "Freedom," a 
Manila newspaper, the news that we were to be 
relieved by the 28th Infantry, but this report we 
found later not to be true ; in the meantim'e 
we had lost two men from my company who 
died from fever, and many of them were laid 
up In the hospital at Calamba with it. Quinine 
was given to us in liquid form when we first 
arrived, but this did not taste very good and 
many of the soldiers did not take it as they 
should, and afterwards it was given to us in a 
pill form. While on guard duty one afternoon 
I was taken sick with the fever. At this post 
there was a large tree with a seat so arranged 
in it one could sit there and overlook the coun- 
try; and it was my turn to take the place. The 
hot sun was beating down on me as there was no 

105 



io6 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

shade to cover the place where we had to sit, 
and it was here that I was taken sick for the 
first time since my arrival on the Island and 
this was the last guard duty that I did In the 
army. I came down from the tree and had to 
be taken on a stretcher to a hospital, where I 
remained for two weeks, until finally I had to 
be sent to the general hospital at Manila with 
several others of the regiment who had also been 
taken down with fever. We were taken to the 
boat at Calamba, going by way of Laguna de Bay 
and Pasig River, arriving there at two o'clock in 
the afternoon, and from there to the hospital, 
which was already crowded with sick and wound- 
ed soldiers. The building that was used for this 
purpose was not large enough to accommodate 
all, and tents had to be set up in lines to form 
wards, wooden floors having been laid to keep it 
good and dry. The morgue was close to the hos- 
pital and I could see the coffins piled alongside 
the building; every morning from one to three 
corpses would be taken there and placed in sheet 
iron caskets and taken to the temporary burying- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 107 

grounds in the outskirts of the city. They were 
later taken to the United States on the transports. 

In the meantime the 21st Infanry was ordered 
away from Calamba to Passay, a small town three 
miles out of Manila, which was a great relief 
to them, as they had been doing hard duty for 
three months, and it was much easier for them. 
The doctors at Calamba had already asked for 
my discharge, but I did not know anything about 
it until I reached Manila, much to my surprise. 

On December 19th, we received the sad news 
of the death of General Lawton, who was killed 
at San Meado, a small town near the water-works, 
at which place the 21st Infantry had already been 
engaged. Flags were at half-mast all over 
the public buildings in the city. This was a great 
shock to all the soldiers in the field, as he was 
very popular with the men and had the confidence 
and respect of all his soldiers, because of the 
good judgment and ability he had shown both in 
the Philippines and in the Cuban campaigns. 
He was killed by being shot in the left lung, and 
his funeral took place on the 30th of December, 



io8 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

which I witnessed from the band-stand on the 
Lunetta. I will here describe the funeral, as he 
was taken to the transport "Thomas." First in 
the line were thirty native policemen, in order to 
see that everything was clear; then came one com- 
pany of armed Infantry, at the rear of them came 
the 20th Infantry band, playing the dead march, 
next came Brigadier-General Hall in command 
of three brigades of Infantry regiments and one 
battalion of Artillery, three troops of cavalry 
mounted, then came the saddest of all, the body 
of the brave General Lawton; his casket was 
placed on a caisson drawn by six horses, and 
behind him followed his noble horse, led by his 
orderly. On the horse was placed the General's 
saddle and boots, and alongside the saddle hung 
his sword, everything being there but his mas- 
ter. Marching alongside the dead body were 
twelve officers, followed by the 8th Army 
Corps flag, which the General had with him in 
every battle in which he took part; it was held by 
a soldier on horseback and was very much soiled 
and showed the rough service it had seen; next 




o 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 109 

came the pall-bearers in carriages, comprising 
Admiral Watson, General Wheeler, and others 
I did not know; following them came the Marines 
of the First Class Battleship "Oregon," and the 
cruiser "Brooklyn," followed by many carriages. 
They proceeded to a steam launch which took 
the body to the transport "Thomas" to proceed 
to America, accompanied by his wife and three 
children. It was a very impressive sight. 




(Jrcup of G. Company Taken at Calamba, P. I. 



XIII. 

MANILA JAPAN. 

The weather was beginning to get pleasant, 
as the rainy season was about over, and as I 
had begun to get well enough to go around, I 
took advantage of it to visit the city, and on the 
night of January ist, 1900, a concert was given 
in honor of the first Y. M. C. A. in the Phil- 
ippines, which I attended. 

A few days later the 49th Colored Regiment 
of Volunteers arrived. They were lined up on the 
"Lunetta" and they certainly were a fine-looking 
lot of soldiers; the officers were also colored ex- 
cept the Majors and Colonel. This was the first 
time I had seen colored officers. 

On the 7th of January, while I was still con- 
valescent, I was called to the office, and there, to 
my surprise, was given my discharge and told 
to go to the headquarters in the city to receive 
my traveling expenses and also the money that 

III 



112 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

was coming to me, which I did the following 
day. 

I did not want to leave the Island without 
first bidding the boys good-bye, whom I had sol- 
diered with so long. 

The transport "Hancock," on which we had 
gone over was in the bay, and I had learned that 
she was soon to return to the States, which was 
very fortunate for me as I was anxious to return 
home on the same boat I came on. 

After I had received my pay and proper 
papers, I went to Passay where my company was 
stationed and saw the boys, whom I had not 
seen since I left Calamba. I felt sorry for them 
as I bid them good-bye, as many of them were 
tired of the service and anxious to get home, and 
you could not blame them, for it was anything 
but pleasant in that section, being away in a 
strange country with such surroundings, where 
the conditions and climate alone were worse than 
the effect of the enemy's bullets. 

I went back to Manila where there was a 
place in the walled city for all discharged sol- 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 113 

diers waiting to return to the States, but many 
of the soldiers remained there to work, as the 
wages were very good; we were well taken care 
of, with good food and sleeping quarters, and as 
the transport was not to leave until the 19th of 
January, I had a chance to take in all the sights. 

Every night the boys and myself would go to 
the "Lunetta" or park, where band concerts 
were given by a Filipino band under the leader- 
ship of a bandmaster of the 6th Artillery, the 
band-stand being in the center of the park and 
lighted by electricity. Hundreds of people, many 
of whom were Americans, attended these con- 
certs, which were very good, the musicians num- 
bering sixty-five. During the day we would go 
along the streets of Manila and visit different 
places; and we bought many small articles to 
bring home as souvenirs. 

The Bridge of Spain which crosses the Pasig 
River, is very interesting; and the street cars, 
which were operated at that time by horses, ran 
across this bridge. An ice-plant was also being 
built, which when completed was to be the larg- 



114 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

est of its kind in the world. It was located near 
the Pasig River just across the bridge. 

The Escolta is the principal street in Manila 
and at the time it certainly was kept busy, as 
many of the volunteers that were returning to 
the States had to stay in the city a few days 
before leaving. The buildings are not very high, 
and are built much different from the American 
buildings, the upper story projecting over the 
side walks. The city is inhabited mostly by 
Chinese and Filipinos. 

I also visited several churches, which had been 
built for many years; and the works of art in 
some of them were equal to many of the American 
churches but the designs were much different. 

The 20th Infantry was doing guard duty in 
the city, as the city was still under martial law 
and under such control that anyone was safe 
to travel about any part of it. Business was at 
its best. 

Many new stores had been started by the 
Spaniards, English and Americans. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 1 1 5 

I enjoyed myself there immensely and took 
advantage of my stay and got a good idea of the 
city and the surroundings, which were very in- 
teresting to me, and most of which I shall never 
forget. 

The 1 8th of the same month we had orders 
to leave — that is, the discharged soldiers who 
were to return to the States — and the following 
morning we packed what belongings we had 
into boxes that we purchased in the city and 
had them taken to the transport. There were 
only eight of us who had been discharged during 
that time; we were delayed all that day as there 
were four hundred and eighty bodies to be 
loaded on the boat to be brought back to this 
country; and on the 29th of January at seven 
o'clock in the evening we steamed out of Manila 
Bay on our way to Japan, at which place the 
transport had to take on coal, which took us 
four days. 

The trip was very pleasant as we had fine 
weather, and I wish to mention that the transport 
"Hancock" had been remodeled in the line of 



ii6 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

accommodation, with, new wash-rooms and sleep- 
ing quarters. The water was good, as they had 
installed an ice-plant on board which was always 
at our disposal; then there were so few on board, 
which gave us plenty of room and made it very 
comfortable for us all. 

On going to Japan we passed through the 
strait of Formosa where we could see the Island 
of Formosa which was very interesting to us, as 
it had once belonged to China. During the China- 
Japan war it was taken by the latter and is now 
still owned by them. 

At the end of four days we sighted the south- 
ern part of Japan and a few hours later we 
entered the harbor of Nagasaki, which is sur- 
rounded by mountains sloping down to the 
water's edge, making the scenery beautiful. The 
weather was cold, this being the 3rd of Febru- 
ary, and we had been sailing almost due north 
from the Philippines, which made a great change 
in the temperature. We had to remain there 
five days to take on coal, and in the meantime 
all those who wished to visit the town were given 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 117 

a leave of absence, much to our delight. Of this 
we took advantage, and it was very interesting to 
us to see the different customs of the people; 
everything was so very strange to us, and it 
was very embarrassing to us as we could not un- 
derstand their language. Here we were obliged 
to buy heavier clothing on account of the change 
of climate. 

At night the harbor of Nagasaki looked its 
best, as there were several war-ships and line 
boats, laying at anchor, and all were lighted with 
electric lights. The "Hancock" with its electric 
lights, looked like a floating palace from the shore, 
and with the whole made a dazzling spectacle. 

The coaling of the transports at Nagasaki was 
very unique and interesting, and usually takes 
from three to four days. It is done by Japanese, 
men, women and children; boats loaded with 
coal are towed alongside the ships, baskets are 
filled with coal which are handed from one to 
another down the line until it is dumped in the 
bunkers of the ship, and the empty baskets are 



ii8 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

returned in the same manner by children to be 
refilled, thus forming a human chain. Nagasaki is 
a large city of about 153,293 population and the 
houses and stores are all one story buildings 
made of bamboo and other Japanese wood with 
the usual Japanese architecture. There were 
restaurants in the town owned by Americans who 
had been discharged from the American army in 
the Philippines, and I visited an English school 
where English was taught to the Japanese chil- 
dren. 

The numerous gardens were another interest- 
ing feature of the place and were built on the 
sides of the mountains being levelled off for 
several feet across, forming stairs; everything in 
the line of garden produce was grown in abun- 
dance. At this time they were gathering in their 
crops and garden stuffs, and our transport took 
aboard a supply of vegetables and garden produce 
for our use on the way back. 

I took a ride in a jinrikisha while there, which 
is a two wheel cart with a cover, drawn by a 
Japanese by means of a pair of shafts, and it 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 119 

is made similar to our two-wheeled sulkeys, or 
dog-carts. 

We took in everything of interest and enjoyed 
our stay there very much as it was all so entirely 
new to us, and we felt that we might never have 
another opportunity of seeing the country again. 

The Japanese were all very friendly and kind 
to us and showed us every courtesy. 

The transport was finally loaded and on the 8th 
day of February, we were again started on our 
long voyage towards home, passing through the 
Inland Sea of Japan which was very picturesque. 

Our voyage all the way back was very pleasant, 
we enjoying different amusements, such as check- 
ers, cards, and other games. 



XIV. 

SAN FRANCISCO HOMEWARD BOUND. 

There were two deaths on the way back, an 
officer and sergeant. They were not burled at 
sea, as the "Hancock" had been fitted with all nec- 
essary equipments for embalming and bodies could 
be kept for a long time, and these were brought 
back to the States for burial along with the four 
hundred and eighty bodies which we had on board. 

Religious meetings were also held on board, 
by a Salvation Army Captain all along the trip, 
and on the 26th day of February we sighted the 
Golden Gate at California, where a pilot was 
taken on board to take our ship into the harbor 
of San Francisco. 

The flags on the ship were at half-mast, show- 
ing that the boat was bringing back bodies of 
dead soldiers who had lost their lives in the 

121 



122 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

service of their country: many of whom went to 
the Philippines on the same boat eleven months 
before. 

The Battery at Passideo at the entrance of the 
harbor fired the customary twenty-one guns in 
honor of the dead. 

A few soldiers were taken sick during the voy- 
age, although not seriously, but on arriving in the 
harbor, the Health Officer of the city held us in 
quarantine for a while and we were told that we 
would have to remain on board for thirty days, 
which for a time somewhat discouraged us; but 
after the doctors had made a more careful exam- 
ination of the sick they decided to let us go ashore. 

At this time the "Hancock" lay at anchor and 
we had to board another vessel to take us to 
the dock at San Francisco, making a stop at Angel 
Island to let oft several prisoners that had been 
taken in the Philippines, there being a military 
prison on this island. After a few minutes' ride, 
we landed at San Francisco, where everything was 
in full bloom, spring having set in. and it made 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 123 

us feel that we were once again back In "God's 
Own Country," 

Hiram Lawler, also a discharged soldier, was 
my companion on the voyage back and we took a 
room at a hotel and remained in the city for a 
few days to take In the sights. 

We had learned before we left the Philippines 
that discharged soldiers could procure reduced 
rates on the railroads from the Red Cross So- 
ciety which had Its offices in the "Call Build- 
ing," one of the largest buildings In the city at 
that time. This building was greatly damaged by 
the earthquake a few years ago. 

We still wore our uniforms as we did not have 
any civilian clothes. 

We kept busy most of the time answering ques- 
tions from the people we met regarding the army 
and the experiences we had In the Philippines. 
Our stay in the city was very pleasant, as nothing 
was too good for the soldiers, and we were well 
received everywhere. 

All of the discharged soldiers soon started for 
their various homes, some going south, others 



124 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

north and east, after bidding each other good- 
bye. 

We received our transportation in about five 
days after we landed, coming home by way of the 
Southern Pacific railroad, stopping at Topeka, 
Kansas, where my companion left me. I stayed 
over with him for twenty-four hours, the railroad 
being blocked with snow from Topeka. 

I traveled alone, but made many acquaintances 
on the train and all were very kind to me, many 
of them sharing their lunches with me. On arriv- 
ing at Buffalo, I had to remain there for six hours 
and had several interviews with newspaper report- 
ers who wanted to learn about the Philippines, 
and after I returned home, they sent me news- 
papers with the articles in them taken from the in- 
formation I gave them. 

I returned home by way of Schenectady and 
Saratoga and on the way up from Saratoga I 
met an old friend from Rouses Point, and I told 
him I was going to give my folks a surprise, so 
he thought he would turn the tables on me and 
give me a surprise on arriving home. So he made 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 125 

an excuse to get off at Plattsburg and see a party, 
and while at the station he telegraphed to Rouses 
Point, stating that I would be home by express, 
and much to my surprise, when I arrived at Rouses 
Point, I found a large crowd of people at the 
station to meet me. However I did give them all 
a great surprise, as they had taken a wrong con- 
struction of the telegram, and as I had not written 
home for a long time, they were all gathered at 
the baggage car thinking that they were going to 
receive a corpse, which was not an uncommon oc- 
currence in those days as there were so many that 
came home that way. I shall never forget the ex- 
pression on their faces when I walked from the 
cars to meet them. 

THE END. 



CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF BATTLES 
AND ACTIONS. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 129 



Chronological list of battles, actions in which 
the 2 1 St Infantry participated, also the different 
companies of the same regiment in Cuba and in the 
Philippines from 1898 to 1902. 

Santiago, Cuba, from July ist to the 17th, 

1898. 
May 14, 1899, Mariquina Road at the De- 

posotory, E Company, 21st Infantry 

P. I. 
June 13th, 1899, Baccor, P. I., B, C, D, 

F, H, I, K, L Companies. 
June 13th, 1899, Zapote River, P. I., 21st 

Infantry. 
July 17th, 1899, Macitar, P. I., C Com- 
pany. 
July 26th, 1899, Calamba, P. I., C, D, 

E, H, I, K, 2ist Infantry. 



I30 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

July 28th, 1899, Calamba, P. I., C, D, E, 

H, I and K Companies. 
July 29th, 1899, Calamba, P. L, C, D, E, 

H, I and K Companies. 
July 30th, 1899, Calamba, P. L, C, D, E, 

H, I and K Companies. 
August 1 2th, 1899, San Mateo, P. I., E, 

G and L Companies. 
September 15th, 1899, Calamba, P. I., E 

Company. 
September 29th, 1899, Los Banos, P. L, 

A Company. 
October 3rd, 1899, Calamba, P. I., 21st 

Infantry. 
October 20th, 1899, Calamba, P. I., 21st 

Infantry. 
October 23rd, 1899, Calamba, P. I., B, 

D and I Companies. 
November i8th, 1899, Los Banos, P. I., 

H Company. 
December 24th, 1899, Calamba, P. I., C 

Company. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 131 

August 27th, 1900, Near San Hicolas, C 
Company. 

September 23rd, 1900, Muntlnlupa, P. I., 

A and C Companies. 
December 8th, 1900, Boot Peninsula, P. 

L, B and D Companies. 
December 8th, 1900, Near Sariaya, P. I., 

E Company. 
December 30th, 1900, Near Sariaya, P. 

I., E Company. 
January 9th, 1901, Near Taysan, P. I., 

F and H Companies. 
January 15th, 1900, Near Conda, P. I., 

H Company. 
February 9th, 1901, Los Banos, P. I., M 

Company. 
February 21st, 1901, Near Pagsanjan, P. 

I., K Company. 
March 23rd, 1901, Tiaon, P. I., I Com- 
pany. 
May 2nd, 1901, Cavinti, P. I., A, K and 

M Companies. 



132 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

May 5th, 1901, Bouat, P. L, A, K, and 
C Companies. 

May 8th, 1901, Lucban, P. L, E Com- 
pany. 

June loth, 1901, Jipa, P. I., B and D 
Companies. 

June 14th, 1901, Santa Cruz, P. I., L 
Company. 

June 22nd, 1901, Near Unisan, P. L, H 
Company. 

July 15th, 1901, Calapan, P. I., G Com- 
pany. 

August 6th, 1 90 1, Mount Niaga, P. I., 
H and J Companies. 

August 20th, 1901, Balatan Barrio, P. I., 
G Company. 

August 20th, 1 90 1, San Beuita Barri, 
P. L, C Company. 

September 20th, 1901, Alinsinongin Bar- 
rio, P. I., D Company. 

October 8th, 1901, Mount Caraya, P. L, 
D Company. 



I 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 133 

October 29th, 1901, San Jose, P. L, F 

Company. 
November 6th, 1901, Near Mount Buguil, 

F Company. 
December 8th, 1901, Jipa, P. I., B, D, 

H and I Companies. 
December loth, 1901, Candelaria, P. I., 

C Company. 
December loth, 1901, Near San Pablo, 

P. I., B, D and I Companies. 
December loth, 1901, Tabian Barrio, P. 

I,, G Company. 
December i6th, 1901, Colod Barrio, P. 

I., G Company. 
December i8th, 1901, Near Baleta, P. 

I., H Company. 
December iSth, 1901, Mount Maguiling, 

P. I., M Company. 
December 23rd, 1901, Near San Jose, P. 

I., F Company. 
January ist, 1902, Loboo, P. I., G Com- 
pany. 



134 REMINISCENCES OF THE 

January 2nd, 1902, Near Taysan, P. I., 

B, D, H, I, 2 1st Infantry. 
January 7th, 1902, Near Calamba, P. I., 

K Company. 
February 5th, 1902, Campo, P. I., E and 

C Companies. 
February 20th, 1902, Near Tananan, P. 

I., A and K Companies. 
February 22nd, 1902, Tiaon, P. I., C 

Company. 

March 15th, 1902, Jipa Mountains, P. 
I., I Company. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 135 



THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 

The Philippine Islands — named after King 
Philip of Spain — were discovered in March, 152 1, 
by the famous explorer, Magellan. It was dur- 
ing a fight with the natives of the island that 
Magellan lost his life. The islands were taken 
possession of in 1565 by a fleet from Mexico. In 
1570 a settlement was effected at the mouth of 
the Manila River, and Manila became the Spa- 
nish capital. The population of the Philippines 
is between eight and ten millions, mostly natives, 
a mixture of Malays, Chinamen, Japs, negroes 
and various others. The latent wealth of the 
islands is immense. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 137 



UNITED. 



In the rice fields and the marshes, 

'Neath the burning tropic sky, 
Where so many brave have fallen 

And the helpless wounded lie, 
There the darling of his mother — 

Her support through earthly strife — 
Upon the nation's holy altar 

Freely gave his fair young life. 



"To the charge" the bugle sounded. 

And the day was almost won 
When the dreaded Mauser struck him 

And his race of life was run; 
But a comrade stops beside him 

And bending o'er him as he lay, 
Rests his head upon his bosom 

And waits to hear what he might say. 



138 



REMINISCENCES OF THE 



"When you send the news to mother 

Tell her I have tried to be 
Such a soldier as was father 

In the days of '63; 
Tell her that I did not falter." 

And his voice is sinking low, 
"In that hour of dreadful carnage 

When we charged upon the foe." 



"Tell her hoy my gallant comrades, 

From the North, South, East and West, 
Fought beneath the same old banner, 

Each as bravely as the rest; 
Tell her that the past is buried, 

Yankeeland and Dixie True 
Are united now forever 

'Neath the old Red, White and Blue." 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 139 

A smile now gathers, he is sleeping 

That last long earthly sleep. 
And his comrade looking upward 

Brushes tear-drops from his cheeks; 
The bugle sounds, he cannot tarry. 

But murmurs as he turns away, 
"His father wore the Northern Blue 

My father wore the Southern Gray." 



"Crack!" again the dreaded Mauser 

Speeds upon its wings of death. 
And the fair-haired Southern soldier 

Falls to earth with bated breath, 
Across the breast of his Northern brother 

As if locked in his embrace, 
Each has answered to the summons. 

And die together, face to face. 



HO REMINISCENCES OF THE 

At the breaking of the morning, 

When the cannon's voice was still 
And the rifle no longer echoed 

Through the marsh beyond the hill, 
Lying there as they had fallen 

Upon the marshy blood-red ground, 
By a squad of anxious comrades 

These two noble boys were found. 



In the same grave they are sleeping — 

Not as their fathers slept of old — 
But as comrades, loving brothers. 

Soldiers, fearless, true and bold; 
For the lives of these two heroes 

Healed the wound their fathers made,- 
So let the past be now forgotten, 

In the sacrifice they gave. 



SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 141 

Thus the graves around Manila 

Mark a turn in history's tide, 
For the sons of North and Southland 

Lie there buried side by side ; 
Their young lives were freely given — 

Not one tried to shirk or lag — 
That the world may know we are united 

For one Country and one Flag. 

W. B. Emerson, 

Co. C, 51st Iowa U. S. V. 



r Franz C. Feger 

70 Fifth Avenue New York 



